United Kingdom has been warned of yet another lockdown with the increased cases of coronavirus as thousands of students return to continue or start their undergraduate/ graduate courses. In the beginning of September, the government imposed a tighter set of rules, abstaining more than 6 people in one place and increasing the fines imposed for not wearing masks in public places and transportation. Universities are trying to minimise the risk on campuses with strategies including online teaching, grouping students together within year groups, and putting in place local testing and tracing policies.
This study has not come as a surprise to many as young people are more likely to socialize and party after lockdown restrictions were eased. The younger generation has already made plans for Christmas and New Year, which explains why they aren’t party to yet another lockdown despite the growing cases. The Boris government explains the restrictions imposed is to abstain from getting into another national lockdown but it is becoming a hard task to make everyone wear a mask despite the fines imposed. Youngsters partying have led to an increase in house parties, music events and illegal raves. More and more young people are testing positive due to a setting sense of complacency in the youth.
The government has come up with a local testing and tracing policy, where anyone who goes to any public place, restaurant, shopping mall or university building has to scan in bar code and enter his/her details and how many people he/ she is accompanied with. This helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus. It also notifies others around at that same time to either get a test or self-isolate as they were unknowingly with contact with someone with the virus. Despite the efforts put by the government and the NHS, the cases seem to increase with each passing day. Normalcy in UK is still a long road ahead.
